Rotary cutte



J. Fi. GAWMETER ROTARY CUTTER Filed June 2, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 1921' 2 sheetsheet @fav J, R, GAMMETER ROTARY CUTTER Filed June :2,

Marsh 23 Patented Mer. 23. 192%.

,. entre. stares p v ROTARY Application led June 2,

To 'all Awhom. it muy conce/vi:

'15e it known that l. JOHN R. Gimnrnrnn,

a. citizen ot the United States, residing at Akron, in the eountyof Summit and State of Ohio. have invented a certain new and` useful Rotary Cutter, ofwhich the following is a specitication.

-This invention relates to apparatus for cutting formed units from sheet material such, lor example, as rubber or rubberized fabric.

The object of my invent ion is to provide rapid, accurate and durable cuttingA apparatus, means whereby the same may be quickly adjusted for cutting' units oi different size or shape, and means for reeeiving r the stoel: from the cutter.

The particular elnbodinlent shown in the accompanying drawings is adapted to cut a sheet et rubberized fabric, which may be either square-woven or thread or cord fabric, on a bias, to produce strips of stock such as are commonly'used in the construe tion of pneumatic tires.

(l the, accompanying drawings z.

Fig. l is an elevation ot' a preferred einbodinicnt oft my invention.

Fig. 2 is' a side elevation. with parts broken away, ot a simplified form of cut- ,ting drum.

Fig. I, is. a cross-section ot a knife.

Fie'. 4t is a side elevation, partly in section and with parts ren'ioved, of a preferred form ot' cutting:Y drum.

AFig` 5 is a section on line. fis-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. is a fragmentary, vertical, longitudinal section of the cutter drum shown in Figs. 4 and 5. i

Referring to the drawings:

10, Fig. 1, is the nearer of a pair of end standards, in the top of which is journaled' a hard roll 1.1 and each of which is formed. with a vertical guide-way 1.2, in which is mounted 'a journahblock 13 provided With an adjustment bolt 14; adapted to adjustsaid journal block vertically in said guideway. 15 is a cutter drum loosely -journaled in said blocks and adapted to be held against the lower-side of the hard roll 11 by said bolts let. The cutter drum 15 is covered with a cushioningvcover or sleeve of soft vulcanized rubber, 16, forming a resilient support for a series of Vflexible broad-based knives 17, 17, Wound, helieally around said standards Q0 ofl which one. 1s shown in Fig.

earner JOHN R. GAMMETER, 0F AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB. TVO THE GB. F. GOOD/RICH C011I1-9ANY,

OF YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CUTTEIL.

1921. Serial No. 474,320.

drum and anchored at cach end to axcircun 55 lar'bracltet 18 secured against rotation relative to the drum 154 and preferably ot somewhat smaller diameter. with respect to the anchorage pointsl of the ltnives, than the diameter ot the `tutter drum, so that the knives will be held with suibstantially equal pressure against the cushion 16 throughout their length.

1t) is a7 liner supply roll jonrnaled upon l. and l1 isI a frietionally-driven liner-rewinding; roll journaled on said standards above said liner supply roll. Q2, QI) are liner guide-rolls liournaled in the standards 1() in such positions as to cause a liner 7@ from the roll l19 to pass part way around L the cutter drum 15, in Contact therewith. in passing to the liner rewinding roll 21. rl`he latter is so positioned relative to the cutter drum 15 that the liner leavesthe cutter drum near its bottom and passes substantiallyv in a horizontal direction lo the liner rewinding roll. The liner 24 is thus adapted to receive the bias-cut strips from the cutter drum 15, in substantially 'the same relative lpositions they occupied in the uncut stock strip, which latter is represented by the numeral 25, Fig. 1, and to Carry them to the .roll'2l, to be there. interwound with the liner upon said roll. 21S is aI guide roll 8-5 l loosely journaled in the standards 10 and adapted to support the reach et' liner which, with the cut stock thereon, Vpasses from the. cutter drum to the liner rewinding roll. 2T isa brush roll journaled in the standards 10 above said reach of liner and adapted to be driven from the hard roll 11 by a belt 28, in the same direction as the cutter drum 15, to insure the suparation'ot the cut stock" therefrom. Said brush roll is provided with eeeentric journal blocks 27, one o't which is shown in Fig. 1, adapted to adjust said roll from and toward the cutter drum 15 to conr pensate for wear of the brushes. The hard roll 11 is provided with a drive belt 29 and is adapted to draw the stock 25 from a supply roll, not shown, and carry it to the cutting,r point between said roll and the cutter drum, and frietionally to drive the latter. 'In the preferred form of cutter drum shown in Figs. f1, 5 and 6, the drum is adapt ed to be expanded and the knives 17 thereon changed inpostion or 'number for cutting Strips of dierent'widths'or number at each revolution of the drum, or strips of different angle of bias. i

Inthis form the Cutter drum comprises a vspindle or shaft 30, ,'uponwhich are secured modified circularbrackets 18a; a plurality of sleeves 31, 31 keyed on said, shaft, each formed with a pair of diametrically opposite bearing ears 32, 32; a pair of {rastro-conical `,chuck members 33, 33 slidably mounted upon 'each of said sleeves and with their smaller ends toward said ears, and formed with a Series of radial slots 33, 33a, extending inward from their peripheries; a set of T- beams, grid or gra ting members 34 mounted in the radial slots of said chuck members and constituting an' expandible cylindrical grating; and mounted upon the latter, the

cylindrical sleeve of rubber 16 forming the immediate support of the knives 17. 'Each ofthe chuck members 33 is formed with axially disposed apertures aligned with the bearingears 32, in which apertures are securedv against rotation, internally-threaded bushings, 35, 35` the aligned bushings of each'pair of chuck' members being oppositely threaded. 36 is a sleeve formed externally with right-and-left threads meshing with the threads of said bushings, said sleeve being journaled in the' ear 32 and keyed upon a shaft 37 extending the length of the cutter drum, through the several. aligned ears 32.

' lEsi-chef the shafts 37. of which there is one for each of the two aligned sets of ears, extends through an arcuate slot 38 in the circular bracket 18 at each end of the drum and isjsquared at the end to receive a wrench or crank, and upon each'shaft is secured a gear, 39, intermeshed with a gear l() .loose-journaled upon the' spindle 30, whereby when one of said shafts is turned the other will be turned in the same direction, to move the -conical chuck members of each pair from -and toward `each other, through the action of the right-andlett threaded sleeves 3T and' bushin,9 s 36, without cramping of said chuck membersnpon the sleeves 31. the force being applied to said menibers at diaxnetrically opposlte pomts.` 4l, 41 are compression springs between the 4ears and the chuck sloping conical faces of the chuck members at their respective sides of the slots 33a inQwhich the T-beam is mounted, thelatter being thus adapted, by the movement ot' the chuck members inian axial direction, to be iorcedradiallv outward against the rubber sleeve- 16by the wedging action of the conical chuck members 33 as the latter are-forced together, or to be driven radially inward by the reaction of saidi rubber sleeve as the chuck members are nioved apart, to expand or contract the cutter-drum.-

The ends of the knives 1i' are secured by anchor members 42, 4 2 adapted to be hooked selectively in notches 43, 43 formed in the periphery. of the"-bra'ckcts'18a to determine the angle ofthe knife upon the drum, and said knives are adapted to be tightened by adjusting bolts 44, 44 which pass through the knives to lie closer together than others,

in order to cut. stock strips of two or more widths at each revolution of the drum.

. In. the operation of the devicethevuncut sheet ot' stock is drawn .from a supply roll,

.not shown,'carried over the roll 11 and started'between the latter and the cutter drum 15, and the liner is 'drawn fromthe roll 19, threaded through the' device and started upon the rewinding roll 21, all as shown in Fig. 1.

Power is then applied through the belt 29, driving the roll 11 lcounter.-ckutkwise as there viewed, drawing` the stock-25 as indicated by the arrow and passing' itbetween the roll 11 and the cutter drum 15,whereby the helcally.stretched knives 17, pressing the stock against. .the roll 11, cut it obliquely into strips. Sai-d strips are carried downward between thejdrum15 and the liner 24, rest upon the latter as it leaves the drum, and are thus wound with the liner onto the roll 21, the brush roll 27, turning clockwise viewed in Fig. Lipsuring the separation of the stock strips from the-drinn.

Forrcutting strips at different: angles or et dilierent. widths, the knives 17 may be adjusted upon .the preferred form ot'drum shown in Figs. 4, Sand 6,.and the latter may be expanded or coni ractcd, as indicated above, the rubber .sleeve 1li and Ille knives 17 sleeve. 13 insures substantially enen pressure of the knives against. theroll 11, but I do not wholly limit niy inventionto using a rubber cushioning' member or placing;r 1t between the 1 'knives :mdf theVv drum upon which they are mounted. The broad base of theknifc `11T prevents itV from unduly sinking into thev loo ' Ieri successfully bridging such gaps :is-occur bc.

erigere rubber Aor from being` over-turned by the cuttingr pressure. A's the conical chuck members 33 are allot' substaiitiallyithe same form, size and adjustn'ient, and are provided with common vmeans for actuating them, the cutting drum maintains its cylindrical form when expanded or contracted, and this operation is reduced to the simple matter ot' turning one of the shafts 3T.

.It will be observed that in the en'ibodinient shown, the cutting is progressive along ther .knife and that the roll 11 will engage the cutting edges ofWAa-succeeding knife 'or knives before leaving that of the last, whereby the roll l1 always has two or more bearing points upon the knives, tending to stabilize the pressure between the roll l1 and the knives and to facilitate their smooth operation. Each knife, however, is preferably of such length and pitch with relation to the drum as to constitute less than one completeturn about the latter, .so that' each cutting action will pass from the rear end of the knife before the leading end 'of the latter again engages the work, Yto avoid. buckling ot' the knife such as might occur it' more than one part of the knife at any given instant were in cutting engagement witlrtlie work. l i Various modifications may be resorted to without departing trom'the scope ot' my invention and l do not Wholly limit my claims to the specific construction shown.

I claim: 1. A cutter comprising an elongate knife, means for holding said knife under longitudinal tension, a resilient backing underlying said knife, and a platen member adapted progressively to meet the cutting edge ot said knife in. rolling contact.

2. A cutter ci'nprising a series ot' knives, a resilient backing for said knives, and a member having an abutment t'ace adapted progressively to meet .the cutting edges ot said knives in rolling tace-to-edge contact, said member and said .kiiives being soI ari ranged that `the former, before leaving one knife, engages the next. y

3. A rotary cutt'er comprising a cyliudrical roll, a flexible, oblique'ly disposed cutting member on said roll, andnieans for holding said cutting member under longitudinal tenrsioiion said roll, said cuttingr member having a broad base adapted to seat upon the cylindrical surface of said roll and a cutting edge upstanding therefrom. i.

4. A cutter comprising a cylindrical roll, a flexible cutting member wound helically about said roll'and extending to the ends of the cylindrical surface thereof, means engaging the end portions'of said cutting membervfor holding. said cutting member under longitudinal tension on said roll, said dinal tension to hold it against said drum,

cutting member having a broad base adapted to seat upon the cylindricalA suraee or said' vible knife, al resilient backing. andrei" roll and a cutting edge upstandiiig theretrom, and a member having an a utinent vtace adapted to' press the work against said' .bcr toward the axis of said drum while longitudinally tensioning said cutting men ber. i i

6. A rotary cuttercomprising a druni,ia

member adapted to seat upon said resilient material, sind cutting member `being helically mounted upon said drinn, and means.

' layer ot' resilient material thereon, a cutting 930 for holding said cutting member underfl longitudinal tension on said drum.

7. A rotary cutter comprising a pair oi"\ rolls. a flexible, tlat-based cutting member Vstretched helicallyaround one ot said rolls,l

means for holding said cutting member unf der tension on said roll, the other ot said pair ot` rolls having an adapted to pressthe work against the cuiting edges ot' said iiieiuber, andyielding means for impelling said cutting omeinl'uir and the opposite roll toward eachother. f 8. A. rotary cutter comprising a pair of: rolls adaptedvto cut .a sheet oi stock as it passes between the same and means for pass ing a liner partly around one of said rolls in contact. therewith in a part ot' its orbit non-v adjacent the cutting position, to receive the work therefrom.

9. A rotary cutter comprising a pair ot rolls adapted to cui; a sheet ot stock as it passes between the same, means for guiding a liner partly around one of said rolls, in

'part ot' its orbit non-adjacent the cutting position to receive the finished Work, andgi trictionally driven roll adapted to inter ".if'iiit thereon the iinished work and the liner.

10. [i cutter comprising an elongate, ties.-

ng said knife, and a platen ineinbeijada. ed progressively to meet the 'cutting edge ot said knife in rollingY contact.

ll. A rotary cutter lcomprising a pair of rolls adapted toA cut a sheet ot' ,stock into units as it passes between the same` means "for driviutr a liner and guiding it iu position toi'eceive and carry away the. cut units, and means for disengaging the. units from vone ot the' rolls at such part ot' the rlatter`s orbitas to cause said units to lic iii orderly `relation on said liner.

. ,L. A rotary cutter 'comprising an exabutment tacel v pandible drum, atlexible, obliquely disposed cutting member on said drinn, and means tor holding said cutting member under longitupandible, cylindrical drum, a flexible cutting member helieally mounted upon the surface of said d'rum and extending to they ends of the cylindrical surface thereof, and means engaging the end portions of said cutting member for holding it under longitudinal tension upon said drum.

14. A rotary cutter comprising an expandible drum, a flexible cutting member mounted upon said drum, and means engaging the end portions of said cutting member for holding the latter under longitudinal tension in different selective positions upon the surface of said drum. y

15. A rotary cutter leon'iprising an expan'dibie, cylindrical drum, a flexible cutting member helically 'wound upon said drum and having a broad base fitting the .cylindrical surface of said drum and a cutting edge upstanding therefrom, and means for holding said cutting member under longitudinal tension.

1G. A rotary cutter comprising a drum, a layer of resilient material thereon presenting a cylindrical surface, a tlexible, ,elon gated. broad-based cutting member mounted on said layer and substantially fitting the cylindrical surface thereof, and means for holding said cutting member under longitudinal tension in different positions on said drum. y l

17. A rotary cutter comprising a drum, a flexible cutting member stretched helically thereon and tensioning means for said cutting men'lber adapted to pull the end portions thereof toward the axis of said drum.

18. A rotary cutter comprising an expandible drum provided with a layer of resilient material and a cutting member formed with a broad base adapted to seat upon said re-A silient material. y

if). In apparatus for cutting sheet material, an expandible roll comprising an elastic cylindrical sleeve, a cutter mounted on saidV sleeve. means -for pressing the work against said cutter, and means for expanding said sleeve while preserving its cylin d rieal form.

v20. In apparatus for cutting sheet material, air' expandiblo drum comprising a rubber sleeve, a cutter mounted on said sleeve, means'A for pressing the work againstvr said cutter, a grating adapted to seat Within said 'sleeve and means foi` expanding said grating.

21. In apparatus for cutting sheet maite; rial, an expandible drum comprising a spindle member, a. set of grating members, Wedging means between said spindle member and v said grating members for forcing the latter in a radial direction; and a cutter mounted on said drums l 22. In apparatus for-.cuttingv sheet material. an expandible drum, comprising a pair of wedging members formed with substanrection, common means ,for actuating said I expanding members, and a cutter mounted I ou said drum. 1

24. In` a 'cutter' for sheet material, the combination of a knife-holding drum, a Hexible knife woinnd helically about said drum, means for holding the knife to the surface of the drum, a resilient backing member under said lknife, and a cylindrical roll adapted to coact with said drum in a rotary cutting action upon the Work, said drum being of such size in respect to the angle at which said knife lies thereon that said roll' passes from the last end .portion of said knife lbefore it again contacts the foremost end portion of said knife.`

v-said knife lies thereon that said roll passes` 25. In a cutter for Sheet material, the come bination of a knife-holding drum, a flexible knife Wound helically about said drum, means lfor holding the knife to the surface of the drum, and a cylindrical roll adapted to coact with said drum in a rotary cutting action upon the work, said drum being of such- 4size in' respect lto the .angle at .which from the last end portion of said knife before it again contacts the foremost end portion of said knife. l

26. A rotary cutter comprising a cylindrical drum, a knife mounted obliquely on said drum and extending from end .to end of the'latters cylindrical surface` means for holding the knife to the surface of the drum, a yielding backing member under said knife, a platen roll .adaptedto coact with said knife in face-to-dge-relation, means for driving said roll, and means r soguiding'the work as to cause it to be carried partly around said roll on the' surface thereof in passing to the nip of said roli and drum.

27.' A rotary cuttercomprising a drum, a cutter mounted thereon, a platen rolladapted to act against sai'dutter, and means for so guidin` the work as to cause it to be carried party around said roll on the surface thereof in passing to the nip of said roll and drum. l

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hludjhis 20 day of May, 1921. 

